NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

When the protest group Nasion Chamoru first emerged decades ago, it created a conflict in the minds of people on Guam. On the one hand you had a group of people who were an emphatically embodying “Chamoru” things.  They were speaking Chamoru, fighting for Chamoru lands and their return, protecting Chamoru rights, and even sometimes sported ancient Chamoru jewelry. But at the same time, for many people, the group seemed to be against everything Chamorus supposedly represented.   Chamorus are supposed to be respectful, gairespetu yan gaimamhlao, do not speak out and politely submit to any form of authority. In the way Nasion Chamoru did not shy away from open defiance and critique of the local and federal governments, they seemed so taimamahlao or tairespetu (without shame or respect). Every culture has their conservative and progressive elements, and an ideological fight always takes place over what is considered to be acceptable and unacceptable. For some, open...

--> Anai manmakolonisa hit gi fine’nina biahi, meggai giya Hita manohge para u fanmumu, ya maseha manmapede’ hit gi gera, gi minagahet sigi ha’ hit manresiste lao gi otro manera.  I anten i Maga’haga-ta lala’la’ ha’ gi hagan haga’, I haga’ Famalao’an. Ya maseha meggai na famalao’an Chamorro manasagua yan otro rasa, ma na’siguru na ma kontinuha mafa’na’gue i famagu’on ni’ i fino’-ta yan hayi siha. (komo Chamorro) I ine’son-ta nu i Espanot annok gi che’cho’ Juan Malo, gos petbetso kontra i Espanot. Sesso di ha usa i inutguyosu kontra siha. Sesso di ha fa’chada’ I Espanot yan ha fa’baba nu i salape’-niha.  Gi duranten i 19 th century, dos Chamorro, Si Jose Salas yan Si Luis Baza, mausa diferentes na manera para u ha tachuyi i direcho i taotao-ta. Si Baza matungo’ put anai ha konne’ i Gubietno Espanot para kotte put todu i malabida-na kontra i taotao-ta. Gi 1884 Si Jose Salas, un Chamorro gi i militat Espanot, mamuno’ Gubietno Espanot put i estao i taotao-t...